Donga

Story: A sister is excited when he runaway brother returns home. However, what happens when the brother's life is threatened by an unexpected person?

Review: If you've watched Tamil cinema, Jeethu Joseph's name will resonate when you think of both engaging thrillers and family entertainers. A common interesting aspect in his films is the way he merges nail-biting sequences with family moments. People who have awaited Donga have a fair idea on what to expect from it. The film sees the story of a sister who has been leading an unpleasant life missing her brother who ran away from home. The plot sounds good as a feel-good family drama, but the film is more than it meets the eye due to the whodunit angle.

It's been 15 years, but Parvathy (Jyotika) hopes her run-away younger brother Saravanan would return home. Her family (Sathyaraj, Seetha, Sowcar Janaki) too hope this miracle to come true some day. But fare has other plans. Vicky (Karthi), a trickster and tourist guide in Goa, is brought back home, claimed to be the long-lost son. The others soon begin accepting him without knowing his real identity. Saravanan's lover Sanjana (Nikhila Vimal) gets excited about his return. But someone hatches a plan to assassinate Vicky.

Who tries to finish Vicky off, will he survive? What if the real Saravanan comes home and where was he all these years? The film poses a lot of questions and the mystery unfolds one by one through some decently engaging and logical sequences. The convincing performances by the lead artistes don't hurt either.

Karthi impress in yet another character that has an appealing character arc. Sathyaraj too steals the show, thanks to his varying performances. Jyothika is effortless in her role while Sowcar Janaki is engaging. Nikhila Vimal's character is however underwritten. The cinematography by RD Rajasekar and music by Govind Vasantha are apt for the film’s mood.

Donga manages to entertain with ample suspense and family moments. It has its moments which keep you guessing till the end. There's an interesting twist in the first half and another appealing one in the climax. But the slow screenplay should have had more moments to make it a proper edge-of-the-seat thriller. We only get a few emotional moments between Karthi and Jyotika, surprising for a film which revolves around their bond. A tighter screenplay with more emotional connect would've worked wonders.